Over-head creeper

ABSTRACT

An over-head creeper configured to allow a user to more easily reach into and work on an engine compartment or on other equipment and machines. The over-head creeper comprises a base section, a platform section and a support section disposed therebetween. The base section has a pair of elongated base members, a base cross-member and a plurality of wheels. The support section has a pair of generally upright support posts secured to the base section, extension members slidably disposed therein and a securing mechanism to secure the height of the extension member. A plurality of cross-members provides access to the platform section. The platform section has a frame attached to the extension members and a padded member on top of the frame. The over-head creeper can be provided with brace members, pivoting tray, hoist mechanism and side rails to improve functionality and safety thereof.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.60/553,862 filed Mar. 16, 2004.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A. Field of the Invention

The field of the present invention relates generally to apparatuses usedfor repairing trucks, automobiles and other vehicles or other equipmentrequiring special access thereto. More particularly, this inventionrelates to over-head creepers configured to allow the user to work abovethe engine compartment of a vehicle or above other equipment whilelaying in a supported, lying face down position to facilitate improvedaccess to the engine compartment or equipment. Even more particularly,this invention relates to such creepers having an adjustable, elevatedplatform supported above a base component configured to safely supportthe use of the over-head creeper.

B. Background

As is well known in the field of automobile repair, access to the enginecompartment of most vehicles requires the mechanic, whether aprofessional mechanic or a non-professional repair person, repairing thevehicle to lean over the side of the vehicle and reach into the enginecompartment. Due to the size or configuration of many vehicles, repairsin the engine compartment requires the mechanic to stand on a stool orother device to be able to have full access to the engine compartment.The size of many engine compartments also requires the mechanic tosubstantially reach over into the engine compartment to access variousengine components. As is also well known, often the repairs made bymechanics requires removal and repair or replacement of enginecomponents, many of which are relatively heavy to lift. Due to thenature of some repairs, the mechanic may find himself or herself leaningover the engine compartment for extended periods of time. The constantleaning, reaching and lifting/moving of engine components and tools isknown to result in back and knee strain, which can be quite painful.

The problems associated with working on engine compartments isparticularly evident when it is necessary for the mechanic to makerepairs to the engine compartment of larger sized vehicles, such as thecommonly available larger size trucks and sport utility vehicles. As iswell known, the size of many of these vehicles substantially increasesthe difficulty for the mechanic in obtaining the proper or mostbeneficial positioning so as to have safe and effective access to thenecessary engine components. Besides having to lean over the side of thevehicle to access the engine, the mechanic is often faced with theundesirable task of essentially laying on top of the engine to reachcertain components while he or she utilizes tools to repair or removethe component. In addition to being uncomfortable, this positioning canbe potentially dangerous to the mechanic and harmful to the enginecomponents.

Creepers for assisting a mechanic's access to the engine compartment ofa vehicle have been in use for many years. The typical creeper allowsthe mechanic to slide or roll under the vehicle to access the enginefrom below. These creepers provide only limited access to much of theengine compartment. More recently, creepers with an elevated platformhave become available to facilitate access to a vehicle's enginecompartment from above. In general, these over-head creepers have alower section configured to allow movement of the creeper under the sideor front of the vehicle and an upper section supported by the lowersection and configured to allow the mechanic to lie down on the elevatedplatform and reach into the engine compartment. An example of such acreeper is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,392 to Hansen. This patentdescribes a height adjustable creeper apparatus having a moveable base,support post, extension member and an elevated platform, which iscantilevered from the extension member. In the disclosed embodiment, theapparatus utilizes a single support post and a generally rectangularplatform. Another example of an over-head creeper is set forth in U.S.Pat. No. 6,641,146 to Reese. This patent describes a creeper apparatushaving a moveable base, a support post connecting the base to anelevated platform and a device for extending or retracting the platform.In the described embodiment, the apparatus has a hydraulic cylinderpositioned in front of the support post to move the platform. Theapparatus can be provided with a platform having a body section and achest section. Although these patents and other apparatuses generallydescribe creepers allowing access from above an engine compartment orother equipment, certain limitations have prevented their fullacceptance. For instance, the known over-head creepers have problemswith not providing a comfortably secure cantilever platform, such thatit does not rock or pivot on the support post during use. In addition,some of the known over-head creepers have limited access to the vehicleengine compartment from the front or side of the vehicle due to theconfiguration of the base and platform support sections of the over-headcreeper. Another limitation of some over-head creepers is that theplatform section raises and lowers in a somewhat pivot fashion,resulting in the platform being somewhat non-parallel relative to theground.

What is needed is an over-head creeper that solves the problems andprovides the benefits described above. The preferred over-head creepershould be configured to provide a secure, stable platform for themechanic as he or she lays above the engine compartment of a vehicle andprovide the mechanic with the desired access to the engine components.The preferred over-head creeper should be adjustable in height and beconfigured to allow access to the vehicle engine compartment from thefront and sides of the vehicle. The desired over-head creeper shouldalso be suitably configured to allow a repair person to lean over andrepair other types of equipment or machinery, such as satellites and airconditioners, where it is necessary to access part of the equipment thatis hard to reach without climbing on or touching other parts of theequipment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The over-head creeper of the present invention provides the benefits andsolves the problems identified above. That is to say, the presentinvention discloses an over-head creeper that is configured to allow amechanic or other person to access a vehicle's engine compartment orother equipment and machinery from above while laying in substantially ahorizontal position so as to increase access to the engine components orother equipment/machinery without undue strain on the mechanic's backand other body parts and without contacting the engine orequipment/machinery. The over-head creeper of the present invention isparticularly configured to substantially reduce or eliminate pivoting orother movement of the platform while providing an open interior cavityto allow access to the engine compartment from either the front or sideof the vehicle. The over-head creeper of the present invention isconfigured to allow relatively easy vertical adjustment of the elevatedplatform so as to allow the user to effectively and safely access theengine compartment of different sized vehicles. The over-head creeper ofthe present invention can also be utilized for over-head access to otherequipment or machinery, including satellites and air conditioners, whereaccess is required for repairs or other work without climbing on orotherwise contacting components of the equipment or machinery.

In one general aspect of the present invention, the over-head creeper ofthe present invention includes a base section, support section andplatform section. The base section has a pair of elongated base members,at least one base cross-member interconnecting the base members and aplurality of wheels mounted to the base members. Preferably, the wheelsare of the type that swivel and which can be locked to prevent movementof the over-head creeper. The support section has a pair of generallyvertically disposed support posts, an extension member slidably disposedinside an upper end of each of the support posts, a securing means forsecuring the vertical position of each of the extension members relativeto the support posts and one or more ladder cross-membersinterconnecting the support posts. The lower end of each of the supportposts is connected to the base section. The extension members areconfigured to extend generally upwardly from the upper end of thesupport posts. The platform section has a platform frame with a firstend and a second end. The first end of the platform frame is attached tothe upper end of the extension members and the second end of theplatform frame extends outwardly and generally horizontally from thesupport section above the base section. The platform section has apadded member that is disposed on top of the platform frame or madeintegral therewith. The padded member is configured to be narrower atthe second end of the platform frame than at the first end of theplatform frame to allow the user to more freely move his or her armswhile working from the over-head creeper. A pair of convexly configuredsupport braces member interconnect the support posts and the basemembers to provide additional lateral and torsional support to theover-head creeper of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment,the over-head creeper comprises one or more side rails that are attachedto the platform frame and configured to reduce the likelihood a userwill roll off the side of the platform section. The preferred embodimentalso includes a resistance/lifting member that interconnects theplatform section with either the support section or the base section andwhich is configured to generally support the platform section above thesupport posts when the securing means is unsecured (i.e., so that theplatform section does not just drop down). The preferred embodiment alsoincludes a tray that is pivotally attached to the second end of theplatform frame and configured for supporting tools or materials thereonthat may be useful for working from the over-head creeper. In oneembodiment, the tray is magnetized. In another embodiment, the over-headcreeper includes a hoisting mechanism that is attached at or near thefirst end of the platform and configured for raising and lowering heavyobjects, such as engine heads and valve covers, from the second end ofthe platform.

Accordingly, the primary objective of the present invention is toprovide an over-head creeper apparatus that provides the advantagesdiscussed above and that overcomes the disadvantages and limitationsassociated with presently available over-head creepers.

It is also an important objective of the present invention to provide aneffective and economic over-head creeper that allows a mechanic or otherperson to access an engine compartment or other equipment from abovewhile lying in a supported, generally horizontal position.

It is also an important objective of the present invention to provide anover-head creeper that essentially eliminates or substantially reducesundesirable pivotal or other movement of the elevated platform duringuse of the over-head creeper.

It is also an important objective of the present invention to provide anover-head creeper that is configured to allow relatively easy heightadjustment of the elevated platform.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an over-headcreeper that is configured to allow substantial access to a vehicle'sengine compartment from the front or side of the vehicle withoutinterference with the over-head creeper.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an over-headcreeper that has a generally rectangular, ladder-shaped support sectionthat supports the platform in a cantilever fashion and that has a hoistfor lifting heavy engine components, a pivotal tool tray for holdingtools and side rails to reduce the likelihood of the mechanic rollingoff of raised platform.

The above and other objectives of the present invention will beexplained in greater detail by reference to the attached figures and thedescription of the preferred embodiment which follows. As set forthherein, the present invention resides in the novel features of form,construction, mode of operation and combination of processes presentlydescribed and understood by the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiments and the bestmodes presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention:

FIG. 1 is a side view of an over-head creeper configured according to apreferred embodiment of the present invention shown in position over avehicle;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of an over-head creeper of a preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a back view of the over-head creeper of a preferred embodimentof the present invention particularly illustrating the support posts andladder components thereof;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the over-head creeper of the present inventionparticularly showing the platform and an optional tool and parts tray;

FIG. 5 is a side view of an over-head creeper configured according tothe preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrating use of agas spring device to assist in raising and lowering the platform sectionthereof and side rails to help prevent the mechanic from rolling off theplatform; and

FIG. 6 is a back view of the platform section illustrating the placementof the side rails thereon.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the figures where like elements have been given likenumerical designations to facilitate the reader's understanding of thepresent invention, and particularly with reference to the embodiments ofthe over-head creeper of the present invention illustrated in thefigures, various preferred embodiments of the present invention are setforth below. The enclosed description and drawings are merelyillustrative of preferred embodiments and represent several differentways of configuring the present invention. Although specific components,materials, configurations and uses of the present invention areillustrated and set forth in this disclosure, it should be understoodthat a number of variations to the components and to the configurationof those components described herein and in the accompanying figures canbe made without changing the scope and function of the invention setforth herein.

An over-head creeper that is manufactured out of the components andconfigured pursuant to the concepts and principles of the presentinvention is shown generally as 10 in the figures. As shown in FIG. 1,over-head creeper 10 can be used in conjunction with a vehicle 12 toallow access to the engine compartment 14 from above without having tolean over and lay against the side or front of vehicle 12. Use ofover-head creeper 10 of the present invention reduces the likelihood ofincidental damage to the front end 16 of vehicle 12 or to the variouscomponents in engine compartment 14. In FIG. 1, over-head creeper 10 isshown accessing engine compartment 14 from the front end 16 of vehicle12, shown with hood 18 raised. As set forth below, over-head creeper 10is also configured to alternatively access engine compartment 14 fromthe side of vehicle 12, as may be necessary or desired by the user.Over-head creeper 10 of the present invention generally comprisesmoveable base section 20, adjustable support section 22 and elevatedplatform section 24, which are cooperatively configured to allow theuser to safely and effectively access engine compartment 14 of vehicle12 without laying on or across vehicle 12 and without undue back, kneeand muscle strain.

In the embodiment shown in the figures, moveable base section 20 ofover-head creeper 10 comprises elongated base members 26, comprisingfirst base member 26 a and second base member 26 b each having a firstend 28 and second end 30, a base cross-member 32 and four wheels 34, oneat the first end 28 and second end 30 of each base member 26. In thepreferred embodiment, first base member 26 a and second base member 26 bare configured to be substantially the same (i.e., a pair) and form aframe in which the pair of base members 26 are disposed generallyparallel to each other and base cross-member 32 interconnects the pairof base members 26, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. Preferably,elongated base members 26 and base cross-member 32 are made out of metalor other generally strong and sturdy material. In one embodiment, basemembers 26 and base cross-member 32 are made out of a tubular steel oraluminum material. The width of base section 20 between base members 26should be sufficient to provide a stable base so as to safely supportover-head creeper 10 and fit around the biggest of tires 36 from theside of vehicle 12, yet be sized to fit between a pair of tires 36 fromthe front end 16 of vehicle 12. The inventor has found that an over-headcreeper 10 having a base section 20 with a width of approximatelyforty-two inches is generally suitable for most uses. Wheels 34 aremounted onto base members 26 and are preferably of the type that allowsrelatively easy movement of over-head creeper 10 to and from vehicle 12.Preferably wheels 34 are of the type, such as swivel, that areconfigured to be locked in place when necessary or desired to immobilizeover-head creeper 10 (such as when it is in use and a user will belaying on platform section 24). As known to those skilled in the art,swivel caster wheels having locking brake components capable of lockingwheels 34 in place, such as four inch sized swivel, top plate casterwheels from the Colson Caster Corporation out of Jonesboro, Ark. are anexample of wheels found to be suitable for use with over-head creeper 10of the present invention. The components for base section 20, includingbase members 26, base cross-member 32 and wheels 34, should be sized andconfigured to support the desired weight of over-head creeper 10 and ofa mechanic laying thereon. In one configuration of the over-head creeper10 of the present invention, it is sized and configured to support aweight of at least 350 pounds, with an appropriate safety factor (i.e.,3 to 1).

As shown in the figures, particularly FIGS. 2 and 3, support section 20of the preferred embodiment of over-head creeper 10 of the presentinvention is configured in a generally rectangular ladder configuration.In the preferred embodiment, support section 22 comprises a pair ofgenerally vertically disposed tubular support posts 38 in which supportmembers 40 are slidably disposed through the open upper ends 42 ofsupport posts 38. Extension members 40 are configured to extend upwardlyfrom upper end 42 of support posts 38 to raise and lower platformsection 24 as desired to provide safe and effective access to enginecompartment 14 of vehicle 12. In one configuration, the height ofplatform section 24 of over-head creeper 10 can extend from forty-twoinches to sixty-four inches. As known to those skilled in the art, asecuring mechanism 43, which can comprise a pair of securing members 44,can be utilized to secure the vertical position of extension members 40in place relative to support posts 38 so the user may safely lay himselfor herself on platform section 24 while accessing engine compartment 14.Support posts 38 can comprise a support hole (not shown) and extensionmembers 40 can comprise a plurality of cooperating extension holes 46that are configured to receive locking members 44 therein. If desired,locking members 44 can include a pin or other securing mechanism tosecure locking members 40 inside support posts 38 and extension members40. Alternatively, locking mechanism can comprise one or more clampingmembers or other types of vertical locking systems. The lower ends 48 ofsupport posts 38 are fixedly attached to base cross-member 32 andconfigured to extend generally upward therefrom. As best shown in FIGS.2 and 3, support section 22 also includes a plurality of laddercross-members 50 that are vertically spaced apart and fixedly attachedto support posts 38 to form rungs of a ladder for the user to utilize ingetting to platform section 24. In one configuration, shown in thefigures, over-head creeper 10 utilizes four ladder cross-members 50.Preferably, the upper surfaces of ladder cross-members 50 are formedwith a non-slip texture or are coated or covered with a non-slipmaterial to reduce the likelihood of the user slipping thereon. Supportposts 38, extension members 40 and ladder cross-members 50 can be madeout of metal, such as steel, aluminum or other metals, that are weldedtogether as necessary to accomplish the objectives of the presentinvention. Alternatively, these components can be made out of variousother materials, including composites, plastics and fiberglass, that arejoined together as may be appropriate for the particular materials.

In the preferred embodiment, shown in the figures, support section 22also includes a pair of support brace members 52, each of whichinterconnect one of support posts 38 and one of base members 26, toprovide additional lateral and torsional support for over-head creeper10 of the present invention. Preferably, support brace members 52 areconvexly configured so as to slightly to somewhat bow outward towardbase members 26, as best shown in FIG. 3, so that they will notinterfere with positioning over-head creeper 10 around tires 36 ofvehicle 12. Also in the preferred embodiment, over-head creeper 10comprises one or more resistance/lifting members 53, such as the gasspring shown in FIG. 5, having a top end 53 a and a bottom end 53 b. Inthis configuration, resistance member 53 interconnects platform section24 with either of said support section 22 or said base section 20.Alternatively, although not shown, one or more gas springs 53 can bepositioned inside support posts 38 and be configured to cooperativelyengage extension members 40 so as to support most of the load ofextension members 40 and platform section 24 while adjusting the heightof platform section 24. Preferably, gas springs 53 are configured tosupport extension members 40 and platform section 24 when securingmechanism 43 is unsecured (i.e., locking members 44 are removed) suchthat platform section 24 will remain substantially in the samehorizontal position (i.e., so as to not lower due to the force ofgravity). In this manner, the user can adjust the height of platformsection 24 without requiring substantial effort on his or her part toraise or lower platform section 24. Although the foregoing primarilyreferences the use of a gas spring mechanism, those skilled in the artwill readily recognize that a variety of different types of resistancemechanisms can be utilized, including mechanical spring, pneumatic andhydraulic devices.

As shown in the figures, platform section 24 is connected to the upperend of extension members 40 and extends in a generally outwardly orcantilever configuration from extension members 40 so the user may layin a generally horizontal, laying face down position above enginecompartment 14. In one configuration, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, platformsection 24 comprises a platform frame 54 having elongated frame members56 supported by platform brace members 58. In this configuration,platform frame 54 has a cap member 60 at first end 62 that is configuredto receive the upper end of extension members 40. Preferably, cap member60 is fixedly attached, such as by bolting, welding or other means, toextension members 40. In a preferred configuration, shown in FIG. 5,platform section 24 has a platform frame member 56 sufficiently sizedand configured such that platform brace members 58 are not required. Inthis configuration, the first end 62 of platform frame 54 is configuredwith an insert portion 63 in which the upper ends of extension members40 are received and securely attached using one or more connectors, suchas screws, bolts or rivets, by welding or other appropriate connectionmechanism. In either configuration, platform frame 54 can bemanufactured out of a variety of metal or other materials, includingsteel or aluminum, that are or can be configured to safely support theweight of the typical user of over-head creeper 10.

To make over-head creeper 10 more comfortable, and therefore moreeffective, platform section 24 includes a padded member 64 which isfixedly attached to platform frame 54, as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,and extends generally from first end 62 to second end 66 of supportsection 24. As known to those skilled in the art, padded member 64 canbe made out of a variety of materials, including leather, plastic, clothand the like, that is either sufficiently padded itself or which coversother padded materials. In addition, padded member 64 can be madeintegral with platform frame 54. In a preferred embodiment, as bestshown in FIG. 2, the distal end of padded member 64 extends beyond theend of platform frame 54. To facilitate the user's utilization ofover-head creeper 10, it is preferred that the second end 66 of platformsection 24 be configured to be narrower than the first end 62 thereof,as best shown in FIG. 4. In this type of configuration, the majority ofthe user's body rests on the wide section of the padded member 64 andthe user's upper chest area rests on the narrow section of padded member64 so the user's arms can move more freely to reach and manipulatecomponents inside engine compartment 14. In one configuration, the widerbody section is eighteen inches wide and the narrow chest section isnine inches wide.

To improve the functionality of over-head creeper 10, it preferablyincludes a tool and component tray 68 that is pivotally attached toplatform frame 54 by tray support member 70, as shown in FIG. 4. In thepreferred embodiment, tool and component tray 68 is shaped andconfigured to hold various tools and components that may be needed inthe repair of the vehicle's engine for which access to enginecompartment 14 is desired. Also in the preferred embodiment, tool andcomponent tray 68 attaches near first end 62 of platform section 24.During use, the user of over-head creeper 10 can pivot tool andcompartment tray 68 from one side of platform section 24 to the otherside for the user's convenience. In a preferred embodiment, tool andcomponent tray 68 is at least partially magnetized to reduce thelikelihood that tools and other materials (i.e., screws, bolts and etc.)will fall off of tray 68 into the engine compartment 14 where suchmaterials could damage the engine. To further improve the functionalityof over-head creeper 10, the preferred embodiment includes a hoist orwinch mechanism 72 located at or near first end 62 that is configuredfor raising and lowering heavy objects, such as engine heads andmanifolds, from the second end 66 above engine compartment 14 so as tofurther reduce the possibility of muscle strain to the user. Hoistmechanism 72 is operated by handle 74 that is configured to raise andlower the distal end of hoist cable 76. A hoist support member 78, shownin FIG. 3, provides support for hoist mechanism 72. As known to thoseskilled in the art, hoist mechanism 72 can be positioned elsewhere onover-head creeper 10 and be electrically, pneumatically or hydraulicallycontrolled instead of the manual system shown. In addition, hoistmechanism 72 can be configured for remote operation. To improve thesafety of over-head creeper 10 of the present invention, the platformsection 24 includes a side rail 80 on both sides of platform frame 54,as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The side rails 80 are configured to reducethe likelihood that the user may roll off the outside edges of platformframe 54 or padded member 64. In one configuration, shown in FIG. 6, aside rail 80 is used on each side of platform section 24 and a portionof the side rail 80 is disposed between padded member 64 and platformframe 54. The remaining portion of the side rail 80 extends in agenerally upward direction above padded member 64.

In use, over-head creeper 10 is pushed on wheels 34 so that it ispositioned at the front end 16 or side of vehicle 12 as desired by theuser to facilitate safe and effective access to engine compartment 14.Naturally, if the engine compartment 14 is located at the rear ofvehicle 12, then over-head creeper 10 will be utilized at the rear ofvehicle 12. From the side, the elongated base members 26 of base section20 are spaced sufficiently apart that they can straddle either side oftires 36, but narrow enough to fit between the tires 36 from the frontend 16 or rear end (not shown) of vehicle 12. The height of raisedplatform section 24 is adjusted to the desired level by raisingextension members 40 inside support posts 38 and over-head creeper 10 ispushed up near vehicle 10 so the platform section 24 is properly placedover engine compartment 14. The substantially open interior cavityformed by the various components of the present invention allows theuser to more advantageously get above engine compartment 14 and reachthe components located therein. The user then ascends laddercross-members 50 to place himself or herself on top of padded member 64so that he or she may lay in a generally horizontal position aboveengine compartment 14 and reach the components therein as necessary. Theuse of a pair of vertical support posts 38 and extension members 40 in asomewhat ladder configuration reduces the likelihood of rotationalmotion about the axis of support section 22 and makes the over-headcreeper 10 of the present invention more stable than prior artapparatuses. With the narrower second end 66 of platform section 24, theuser can more freely move his or her arms and have improved access toengine compartment 14. As known to those skilled in the art, thecomponents of over-head creeper 10 should be chosen to be substantiallycorrosion resistant and resistant to materials (such as oil and thelike) commonly utilized by vehicle 12 and which may be present duringrepair operations. Alternatively, the various components of over-headcreeper 10 can be selectively coated with appropriate coating materials,such as powder coating, protective coverings, paints and the like, toprevent or reduce the likelihood of corrosion.

While there are shown and described herein certain specific alternativeforms of the invention, it will be readily apparent to those skilled inthe art that the invention is not so limited, but is susceptible tovarious modifications and rearrangements in design and materials withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention. In particular, itshould be noted that the present invention is subject to modificationwith regard to the dimensional relationships set forth herein andmodifications in assembly, materials, size, shape, and use. Forinstance, there are numerous components described herein that can bereplaced with equivalent functioning components to accomplish theobjectives of the present invention.

1. An over-head creeper, comprising: a base section having two or moreelongated base members, a base cross-member interconnecting said basemembers and a plurality of wheels mounted to said base members; asupport section having two vertically disposed support posts, anextension member slidably disposed inside an upper end of each of saidsupport posts, a securing means for securing the vertical position ofeach of said extension members relative to said support posts, and oneor more ladder cross-members interconnecting said support posts, a lowerend of each of said support posts connected to said base section, saidextension members configured to extend generally upwardly from saidupper end of said support posts; and a platform section having aplatform frame with a first end and a second end, said first end of saidplatform frame attached to an upper end of said extension members, saidplatform frame extending generally horizontally outward from saidsupport section above said base section.
 2. The over-head creeperaccording to claim 1, wherein said wheels are configured to swivel whenmoved and be locked in place when said over-head creeper is in use. 3.The over-head creeper according to claim 1 further comprising at leastone convexly configured support brace member interconnecting one of saidsupport posts and one of said base members.
 4. The over-head creeperaccording to claim 1, wherein said platform section further comprisesone or more side rails attached to said platform frame.
 5. The over-headcreeper according to claim 1 further comprising a resistance memberinterconnecting said platform section with either of said supportsection or said base section, said resistance member configured togenerally support said platform section above said support posts whensaid securing means is unsecured.
 6. The over-head creeper according toclaim 1 further comprising a padded member disposed on top of saidplatform frame.
 7. The over-head creeper according to claim 6, whereinsaid padded member is configured to be narrower at said second end ofsaid platform frame than at said first end of said platform frame. 8.The over-head creeper according to claim 1 further comprising a capmember at said first end of said platform frame, said cap memberconfigured to received said upper end of said extension member thereinand attached thereto.
 9. The over-head creeper according to claim 1further comprising a tray pivotally attached to said second end of saidplatform frame.
 10. The over-head creeper according to claim 1 furthercomprising a hoist means attached at or near said second end of saidplatform frame for raising and lowering heavy objects.
 11. An over-headcreeper, comprising: a base section having a pair of elongated basemembers, a base cross-member interconnecting said base members and aplurality of wheels mounted to said base members; a support sectionhaving a pair of vertically disposed support posts, an extension memberslidably disposed inside an upper end of each of said support posts, asecuring means for securing the vertical position of each of saidextension members relative to said support posts, and one or more laddercross-members interconnecting said support posts, a lower end of each ofsaid support posts connected to said base section, said extensionmembers configured to extend generally upwardly from said upper end ofsaid support posts; a platform section having a platform frame with afirst end and a second end, said first end of said platform frameattached to an upper end of said extension members, said platform frameextending generally horizontally outward from said support section abovesaid base section; and a padded member disposed on top of said platformframe.
 12. The over-head creeper according to claim 11 furthercomprising at least one convexly configured support brace memberinterconnecting one of said support posts and one of said base members.13. The over-head creeper according to claim 12, wherein said platformsection further comprises one or more side rails attached to saidplatform frame.
 14. The over-head creeper according to claim 11 furthercomprising a resistance member interconnecting said platform sectionwith either of said support section or said base section said resistancemember configured to generally support said platform section above saidsupport posts when said securing means is unsecured.
 15. The over-headcreeper according to claim 11, wherein said padded member is configuredto be narrower at said second end of said platform frame than at saidfirst end of said platform frame.
 16. The over-head creeper according toclaim 11 further comprising a tray pivotally attached to said second endof said platform frame.
 17. The over-head creeper according to claim 11further comprising a hoist means attached at or near said second end ofsaid platform frame for raising and lowering heavy objects.
 18. Anover-head creeper, comprising: a base section having a pair of elongatedbase members, a base cross-member interconnecting said base members anda plurality of wheels mounted to said base members; a support sectionhaving a pair of vertically disposed support posts, an extension memberslidably disposed inside an upper end of each of said support posts, asecuring means for securing the vertical position of each of saidextension members relative to said support posts, and one or more laddercross-members interconnecting said support posts, a lower end of each ofsaid support posts connected to said base section, said extensionmembers configured to extend generally upwardly from said upper end ofsaid support posts; a platform section having a platform frame with afirst end and a second end, said first end of said platform frameattached to an upper end of said extension members, said platform frameextending generally horizontally outward from said support section abovesaid base section; a padded member disposed on top of said platformframe, said padded member is configured to be narrower at said secondend of said platform frame than at said first end of said platformframe; at least one generally convexly configured support brace memberinterconnecting one of said support posts and one of said base members;and a tray pivotally attached to said second end of said platform frame.19. The over-head creeper according to claim 18 further comprising aresistance member interconnecting said platform section with either ofsaid support section or said base section said resistance memberconfigured to generally support said platform section above said supportposts when said securing means is unsecured.
 20. The over-head creeperaccording to claim 18 further comprising a hoist means attached at ornear said second end of said platform frame for raising and loweringheavy objects.